Kim Meckler
I don’t think we will ever be able to get away from wood in design.
When I began my career almost 20 years ago, oak was all the rage. I grew up in a predominately German community and it almost seemed like the more oak, the more prestige was assigned to a home. People were putting it on cupboards, floors, feature walls, fireplace mantles and just about everywhere you can imagine.
Of course it was the lovely honey colour we are all trying to get rid of now, but back in the 90s it was THE thing to have.
Wood features never really go away, it evolves and changes from generation to generation but any time you put wood into a design project you are guaranteed a timeless look regardless of the colour.
In my fascination with European and Italian influences in architecture I see many breathtaking projects that were finished in wood hundreds of years ago which still delight us even in our ‘we think we’ve seen it all’ jadedness.
From centuries-old ceiling beams to ornately carved fireplace surrounds, we are continuously charmed by wood features.
The trend towards adding wood features now is in an attempt to re-create the beams and full wall wood treatments of yesteryear.
Designers are using flooring materials which replicate rustic wood to adorn walls in a new age version of wood panelling while mixing the crystal and chrome polished features of our new age.
When you are considering investing in items for your home, embrace the beauty of wood.
Your lifestyle may not be practical enough for hardwood fl oors but you can still have the lustrous beauty in other areas to bring the warmth and richness into your home.
Can’t have hardwood floors because of your 90 pound Great Dane? Opt for a ceiling feature in hardwood or open beams instead and still enjoy the richness of hardwood in your favorite room without the maintenance or repair.
The trend that I am most enthralled with is putting a rustic wood feature in the bathroom.
The use of wood walls and tile that replicates wood and brick bring in an old world element to an otherwise sterile and visually hard room which helps balance the design.
The vinyl flooring that is on the market now allows even the wettest areas to have a plank look floor and I think this is a beautiful way to treat a bathroom.
To answer a question I get on a consistent basis....yes, you can mix more than one wood colour in a room.
Wood is ‘colourless’ in the way it blends with interior and exterior environments and it is perfectly okay to have two or three wood colours in a room.
Mixing cabinet stains then pairing them with a third tone of hardwood or laminate is well within the acceptability of design laws!
In my guest room I have a piano (mid brown walnut) mixed with darker espresso book shelves and chairs - it works really well and I don’t have to worry about matching furniture items to a 60-year-old piano.
The opportunities to incorporate wood or wood visuals into your home are plentiful right now and available in several types of materials suitable for wet or high traffic areas.
The ability to put an old world feel into your space has never been easier or more beautiful.
Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.